


Like I Want You

by HayCatramity



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Drama, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Jock Adora (She-Ra), Lesbian Adora (She-Ra), Lesbian Catra (She-Ra), Oblivious Adora (She-Ra), Romance, Romantic Comedy, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-21
Updated: 2021-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-24 09:54:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30070470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HayCatramity/pseuds/HayCatramity
Summary: Adora and Catra were best friends when they were young, then one day Adora's older sister, Mara died in a car crash and  all of a sudden Adora moved without telling Catra. Ever since then, Catra hasn't heard from Adora or her family.7 years later, Catra and Adora meet up again on their freshman year of college.Adora wants to fix their friendship, but Catra is still hurt.How will 7 years of separation take a toll on their friendship?
Relationships: Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Bow & Glimmer (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra), Entrapta & Hordak (She-Ra), Entrapta/Hordak (She-Ra), Mermista & Sea Hawk (She-Ra), Mermista/Sea Hawk (She-Ra), Perfuma & Scorpia (She-Ra), Perfuma/Scorpia (She-Ra)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	Like I Want You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! It's my first time ever writing a fanfic but these Catradora fics on AO3 really made me want to write one so I decided to do so, but I'm kinda just winging it so this might not be as good as those other ones. Anyways, please do leave any comments regarding my writing: any suggestions, spelling/ grammatical errors, etc. I'm all up for constructive criticism. :)
> 
> Btw, this fic is inspired by the song Like I Want You (the song reminds me so much of Catradora. Honestly, just look at the lyrics) so listening to the song might help get you in the mood. 
> 
> Anyways, Enjoy! <3

7 Years. It's been 7 years since Catra has seen Adora. Ever since she left without saying goodbye, Catra had always despised her. She felt betrayed as her best friend left her without any context at all. After years of disappointment and her feeling of betrayal, Catra finally moves on from her and decides to focus on the new opportunity her step-uncle gives her; a chance to go to college. Going to college she hoped it would take her mind off of Adora who, still haunted her to this day. However, fate decided it still wanted to fuck up Catra's life and decided to give Catra one of her worst nightmares.

"Catra?"

She turned around to see a tall blonde girl standing who stood beside two people.

Catra looked up to find a certain particular she hoped to never see again. _Adora._

"Hey. Adora."

**_7 Years Ago_ **

Adora and Catra ran up the stairs as Adora's older sister, Mara chases after the two kids.

"You can't catch us, you slowpoke!" the two kids called out teasing Mara.

"We'll see about that!" and just like that, Mara got a grip of the two kids holding them up with her two arms. "Now, let's finish your homework shall we?"

"But we don't want to." Catra pouted.

"Can you help us?" Adora asked, making Catra look at her in shock.

"Will you do it if I do?"

"Yeah!" The two kids exclaimed.

"Then I guess I have no choice now do I?"

The two kids exclaimed and got on with their work with the help of Mara. This was the norm for Catra and Adora. Hanging out at Adora's house and played until Catra's mom decides to pick her up. Catra basically lived there and the Grayskulls considered her as part of their family. These were the good days before everything went downhill.

It was Friday night and Catra was still over at Adora's playing Mario Kart with Adora and Mara on the WiiU. Mara was in 1st place like always with Catra after her. A sudden ring goes through Mara's phone and she picked it up letting Catra go for the win. Catra jumps up for joy while Adora broods over her loss. Mara leaves the living room as she answers the call.

"Hello?" 

The two kids snoop on the conversation.

"Yes. Yes. Mr. Peekablue declined the offer? Okay then, I'll be right there." She hangs up the phone and notices the two kids poking their heads across the door. Mara turns her head towards the kids. "Hey, didn't I tell you that it's bad to eavesdrop on people?" she asked with a teasing grin.

"Sorry." the two kids pouted.

Mara smiled and said, "as long as you don't do it again, okay?" the kids nodded and smiled at her. "By the way, I have to go back to work. There seems to be a problem at the company. Will you two be okay on your own?"

"You're leaving? But it's 8 pm! Mom is coming home soon and I'm sure she wants you home for dinner." 

"I'm sorry Adora, it's an emergency. They need me there."

"But, aren't you and Mom are the CEO? Can't you can ask someone else to handle it?" 

Mara gives a soft smile. "I know, but it's an important deal. I'll be back before you know it, I promise."

Adora nods and Mara looks towards Catra. "Take care of her for me, okay?"

Catra brightens up and gives Mara a reassuring smile, "Of course! I won't let anything happen to this dummy."

Mara gave a small chuckle, "Okay, you better." 

Mara grabs her jacket and heads out the door, one last time she looked at the kids and said, "Take care, you two," before she hops in her car and disappears into the darkness. 

"Geez, your sister's so paranoid. It's not like there's anything that could happen to us."

"She just doesn't want anything to happen to us, Catra."

"I know, I know. But if there were anything to happen, like a robbery or something, I would go beat up every single one of them." 

"Catra! That's dangerous! You can't do that alone. I don't want you to get hurt. Instead, we should beat them up together." Adora said with a dorky grin.

Catra felt herself freeze up, "N-No. I-I told Mara I would protect you, so I will."

"Well then how about this; you look out for me, I look out for you. Nothing bad can happen to us as long as we've got each other." Adora gave her the biggest most reassuring smile Catra had ever seen.

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Catra looked into Adora's bright blue eyes and saw she was genuine about what she had just declared. She felt her face turn hot as she turned away not wanting Adora to see this version of her. 

The door opened ajar as the two kids see Adora's mom, Hope poke her head through the living room.

"Hey, kids. I brought pizza." Hope looks around and realized her other daughter was not home. "Where's Mara?"

"She said she needed to go to the company because there was an emergency. That's why she asked me to take care of Adora." Catra said crossing her arms in pleasure knowing she had protected Adora until her mom showed up.

"Is that so?" Hope asked with a worried look. "Well, then I guess we shouldn't wait for her to eat the pizza or else it'll turn cold." Hope hangs her jacket before grabbing plates for the two children when the doorbell rings. Hope headed for the door and opens it to find Catra's mom. 

"Ah, Mrs. Weaver. Good evening."

"Good evening to you too, Mrs. Grayskull. I'm here for Catrine."

"Ah, yes. Catra. She's just finishing her pizza."

"Oh, I do hope she did not cause you all much trouble."

"No, of course not. She has been quite delightful."

"I see. Well, sorry for the intrusion, but it's getting late and we better get going." she looks towards Catra who was behind Hope, "Come on, Catrine."

Catra gave Adora the _I don't want to go home_ kind of look, but Adora knew she had to go or else she would be in a lot of trouble. Adora then thought of a way to make Catra stay longer.

"Mom, Mrs. Weaver, is it alright if Catra stays until we finish the pizza?" Adora was stalling so that Catra could go home much later. Catra grew a smile at Adora but felt the need to resist knowing her Mother was there. 

"I'm fine with it. Mrs. Weaver?" she turns towards Catra's mother.

"I suppose if it wouldn't take long," she said glaring at Catra. 

Catra knew this glare. This was the kind of glare that could get her into a lot of trouble if she doesn't obey. Thus, Catra gave into the glare and decided it was time for her to go. She knew she'd be punished when she gets home.

"I-I'm s-sorry. I-I'm getting tired. I t-think I should go home," Catra lied.

Adora felt Catra's nervousness but knew there was nothing she could do. "Okay," Adora replied. "I'll see you then."

Catra gave her a feign smile as she walks over to her Mother.

"Well, then. We should be going." Mrs. Weaver said. "Have a good evening," she said dragging Catra by the wrist.

"Catra!" Adora shouted. 

Catra looked back to hear Adora say, "You know you can come here whenever you want to. You're part of our family now too, okay?" she gave Catra her big dorky smile. Catra felt her heart beating faster and her face getting hotter.

"Let's go Catrine." Mrs. Weaver said pushing Catra inside her car.

That night, Catra was punished for wanting to stay longer at Adora's. Weaver made it so that Catra was to sleep and stay inside the cold storage room for the weekend. Weaver knew it was Catra who made Adora want Catra to stay longer than she should have.

 _"Stop forcing Adora to stay with you. Did you really think she likes to hang around you? She's going to leave you someday you useless child."_ Catra remembered her mother say. 

"No. Adora doesn't think that way about me," Catra said reassuring herself, shivering, and dehydrated inside a cold empty storage room. "Adora is my best friend. We look out for each other. She won't leave me... She won't leave me..." Catra said crying herself to sleep. 

Mrs. Weaver finally let Catra out of the storage room Monday morning only because she had school. Catra was excited to see Adora and hang out with her. However, to her demise, Adora did not come to school that day. Catra thought she had just woken up late or had gotten a little cold. However, Adora had not gone to school for the next few days. Catra got worried and decided to sneak past her Mother to go to Adora's house to see what was up. When she arrived, she saw a _Sold_ sign in front of their house. Multiple questions went inside Catra's head.

"Where is she? Did she move houses? No." Catra shook her head, "She would tell me if she were planning to. Unless she didn't tell me on purpose. Because she didn't want me around. She didn't tell me where she was moving so that I wouldn't get near her. What was last night then? The promise? Was that all just a lie? No. Adora could never lie." All the words she remembered her Mom say started popping up. How Adora would leave her one day. "No, Adora would never leave me. She would never leave me but she did. She left me. Adora left me."

Suddenly Catra was hit with the realization that her safe place, her comfort person was gone. She had nowhere to go to anymore when her mother was hitting her or starving her. Because it was gone. It had left her. _She had left her._ Catra wanted to cry but she couldn't. She had no strength or tears left to do so. All she felt was disappointment and betrayal. Catra swore to herself she would never get close to anyone again. She didn't want to feel this way again. She didn't want to get hurt. She had also hoped Adora would never show her stupid face in front of her again. _She never wanted to see Adora again._

**_Present Day_ **

"Catra! H-Hi! D-Do you remember me?"

Catra was tempted to say no. "Yes, sadly."

Adora walked closer towards Catra and she realized how much bigger and taller Adora had become. Adora had always been taller than Catra, but only for about 4 centimeters. But now, Adora is a full 15 cm taller than Catra and now Catra had to look up to meet her eyes. 

"It's uhm, nice to see you again. It's been how long?" she chuckled, "Anyway, how are-"

Adora got cut off by the bell. 

"Bell rang, gotta head to class." Catra turns around and walks away from Adora as she drags her two friends away from the scene.

"Who was that?" A relatively tall boy with an undercut asks.

"Oh, Bowen-"

"It's Bow. How many times do I have to tell you that calling me Bow is fine?" he said throwing his hands up in the air.

"He doesn't like his name," said a short girl with short pink fluffy hair, "he thinks the name _Bow_ makes him sound cooler."

"Glimmer! I do not!" he said getting angrier by the minute. 

"So, who was that? A high school friend? She seemed like a bitch."

"Glimmer! Don't say that!" Bow said scolding her, "Wait, but Adora, I thought you used to live in the countryside? I though you just moved to the city? How do you know someone already?" Bow asked. 

"She was a close friend from before. A childhood friend you might say. Then I moved to the countryside without saying a proper goodbye. Maybe that's why she acted like that. She hates me; doesn't want to be friends with me."

"Hey, don't say that!" Bow said trying to think of a way to cheer her up, "You know, now that you know she goes to this University, this is the perfect chance to be friends with her again!" 

"That is if she's willing to. She seems kind of like a bitch-" Bow stepped Glimmer's foot indicating she isn't helping, "But who wouldn't want to be friends with you?" she gave a small chuckle.

"Glimmer's right. We've only known each other for a few days, and you're really cool, Adora. I'm sure she'd want to still be friends with you."

"Yeah, I guess."

At this point, Adora realized how much has changed in the past 7 years. How much each of them has changed. Although this doesn't stop her from wanting to fix the friendship they once had. 

Catra didn't think she'd run into Adora on her first day of school. In fact, she didn't think she'd run into Adora at all.

"That ruined my fucking morning."

"Hey, Wildcat who was that?" asked a tall girl with short white hair.

"No one. No one in particular. So just shut up, Scorpia I'm not in the mood."

"They didn't seem like just a _nobody_ to you. My device noticed your heart rate speeding up." said a tiny girl with long purple hair tied up in pigtails.

"For fucks sake, I told you she's nobody okay? Adora is nothing to me. So your little device or whatever? It's broken. So you better shut the fuck up and work on fixing that instead. Honestly, you guys are ruining my Monday Morning."

"Wildcat, calm down. I'm sure Entrapta never meant anything bad. We were just curious about who she was. We just didn't think you knew anyone here besides us. Plus, you were the one that started thinking those kinds of things."

"So it's my fault I ran into Adora?" Catra glared at the two before sighing loudly. "Forget it, let's just get to class."

Adora, Glimmer, and Bow had just finished their classes and were planning to meet up with some of Glimmer's friends. 

"I'm sure they'd like you, Adora," Bow says.

The three friends meet up with three other people at a nearby fast food place: The Crimson Waste. A girl with long blonde hair sat with two other people: a girl with long dark hair tied up in a ponytail and a brown-haired boy whose arms were wrapped around the braided girl.

"Hey, guys!" Glimmer and Bow called out. 

"Hello!" The blonde called out, "Oh! Who's this?" she asked looking at Adora.

"Uh, hi! Adora Grayskull. I'm a freshman in Business Management and I'm also part of the track team. I'm Glimmer's roommate."

"Nice to meet you, Adora. I'm Perfuma. Freshman at Herbology." the blonde explains. "And this is..." she shoves her elbow towards the dark-haired girl.

"Ugh. I'm Mermista. Freshman at Marine Biology. Part of the swim team. There, happy?" she gives Perfuma a look. 

"Nice to meet you, dearest Adora. I'm Sebastian "Sea" Hawke. The strongest man you'll ever meet, the fastest swimmer you'll ever encounter the-"

"He's in marine engineering. I met him in the swim team during orienteering and ever since then, he's been following me around." Mermista said cutting him off.

"That's half true my dearest."

Adora, Bow, and Glimmer sat down with them, and for the first time in a while, Adora was having fun. 

Adora and her Mom left the city 7 years ago after the _incident._ Her Mom thought it was a good idea to live with Adora's grandmother, Razz for the time being. Razz lived in the countryside where she had a berry farm and a pie shop. Hope thought it was a good idea to train Adora about business in Razz's pie shop before she lets her handle their business in the city: Grayskull Tech, one of the most established and worldwide known Technology companies. 

Adora adapted to the country life pretty well especially since she's been trying to keep her mind off her older sister. So in a way, Adora is a country girl which was one of the reasons she easily bonded with Bow who was once a country boy himself.

Adora was having fun, laughing, and talking whenever she felt so. She was comfortable. She liked it there. Convincing her Mom to let her study in the city was worth it. 

"By the way, you would not believe who I saw in one of my classes today." Glimmer blurted out looking at Adora who was drinking her juice. "Adora's girlfriend."

Adora choked on her drink and stuttered, "G-Girlfriend? But I've never even been in a relationship before!"

"Your girlfriend, you know, the girl you spoke with this morning?"

"Catra is not my girlfriend! I told you, she's just an old friend!"

"She didn't seem like your friend." Glimmer blurted out.

"Fine! A frien- ex-friend who I haven't spoken to in years! Look, I just want to be friends with her again, okay?"

"Are you sure you want to be just friends with her? The way you looked at her was... I don't know... kind of intimate." Bow joined in teasing Adora as he gave Glimmer a quick high five.

"No! Of course not! What's wrong with you two?"

She wanted to get the topic off of Catra, but things aren't going her way. 

Adora sighs as she drank her juice as her friends continue to babble on about Catra. She hears a ring indicating someone has opened the door to The Crimson Waste. Adora looks up and quickly notices that it was Catra and her friends who had walked inside the store, as she talked and laughed with them. Adora stood up unexpectedly which completely scared the rest of the group.

"Adora, what's wrong?" Glimmer asks looking at Adora then following her sight and realizing she was looking at the same girl who they met this morning. "Oh."

"Hey, it's that girl from this morning! Adora now's your chance!" Bow exclaims teasing her.

The whole group looked towards Catra and realized that was the girl they were talking about. 

"She doesn't look that bad," Mermista said nodding, "You have nice taste, Adora."

"I told you she's not-"

"Hey," Hawke blurted out, "that girl's in my class," Hawke said pointing towards Entrapta. "She's always getting better marks than me without trying." He said pouting. 

Catra looked around the place and recognizes Adora from one of the tables, who seemed to be talking to her friends while awkwardly standing up. 

"What is the dummy doing?" she mumbled giving a little chuckle. She turned towards her friends about to tell them she wanted to go somewhere else but was cut off by Entrapta.

Now, Entrapta was one of the loudest people you would ever meet, to the point you could hear her from miles away. Although Entrapta is academically smart, she's completely oblivious towards other things and doesn't know how to read the room. She doesn't even realize how loud she could get. Just with those simple characteristics, she completely ruined Catra's life by shouting, "Hey! It's that girl your heart was beating fast for!" Looking at Adora. Entrapta said that so loud which caused everyone to stop talking, therefore, was heard by everyone in the place. Even by Adora and her group.

Catra opened her mouth as she realizes what has just happened. Everyone looked at them as she dragged Scorpia and Entrapta out of the establishment before she began scolding them.

"Entrapta, what's wrong with you?" she asks her palm on her face, "why do you have to be so fucking loud?"

"Sorry," Entrapta said softly.

"Come on, Entrapta didn't mean it, right?" Scorpia said turning her head towards the small person.

She didn't say anything. She just looked back.

"Ugh, honestly, this day is shit," Catra said heading towards her car.

"Where are you going?" Scorpia asked the brunette.

"Home. I'm going to bed so maybe if I fall asleep, I won't ever wake up again."

"Now, Catra, you don't mean that, right?" 

She went silent before saying, "Who knows," she says as she closes her car door, drifting off.

The tall girl looks at Entrapta and says, "Entrapta, you know how Catra is. I can't keep on defending you, so maybe think before you say things?"

"I'll try."

"Did you hear that?" Mermista spoke up.

"Seems like you're not the only one who has a crush." Glimmer said teasingly.

"Congrats Adora! It seems that the feeling is mutual!" Perfuma joins in.

"There was no meaning behind it." Adora said sitting back down, "We're just friends. That's it." 

The whole table looked at her fazed, couldn't believe how oblivious this person is.

"What?" Adora said taking a sip on her drink, "She's just a friend."

Catra opened the door to her condo; technically it isn't her's, it's her step-uncle's but he was nice enough to lend it to her while giving her a scholarship to the University. The brunette heads towards her bed as she jumps onto it.

"What a fucking day."

Catra sighs as she closes her eyes. The first thing that pops into her head was the image of Adora. 

"She's gotten so tall." she thought, "And muscular too." she realizes what she had just been thinking and shakes off the thought. "What is wrong with me? Stupid Adora. Stupid Adora and her bright blue eyes. Stupid Adora and her dorky smile." she thought of Adora's smile as she grinned at the thought of it. 

_"No! No! NO! Stupid Adora! Stupid! She's so stupid! I'm so stupid!"_ Catra shoves her face onto her pillow as her legs began to kick up and down.

Adora had just finished taking a shower and she hops onto her bed. Glimmer was still at Bow's room, so she contemplated whether to do her work or not, finalising on the decision that she needs to do it.

Business Management. That was her major. She had no interest in it, however, it was the only major her Mom would allow her to take if she wanted to go to a University in the city. Adora wanted to be a Pilot. She wanted to explore the world, but she knew her Mom would never allow her. She was too scared that Adora might get into an incident like- 

"Catra!" she exclaimed. "I completely forgot Catra goes to E.U.!"

Adora's mind wandered off to Catra. "I wonder what her major is? Wait, Glimmer said she saw Catra in one of her classes and Glimmer is a..." she tries to remember what Glimmer's course was. "Law? Does that mean Catra's a law student?"

Adora had never thought of Catra as a law student. Then again, Catra was fairly good at standing up for herself, except for her own Mother that is. Although for everything else, she was the one who always got Adora and her out of trouble by lying or talking her way out. But it also _had_ been 7 years since Adora had last seen Catra so it's no surprise she was bound to have changed.

She smiles as she thinks of all the adventures she and Catra had when they were 12. How fun they had been. How careless and tranquil they were.

Even after all these years, she hoped Catra would still be by her side. Even though Adora left for a couple of years, she was still clinging to the fact that maybe Catra would still be the same. That _they_ would still be the same.

Adora was genuinely happy at the thought that Catra had new friends to call her own despite her having a difficult personality but, somewhere in her heart Adora was still stuck in the past. Stuck on _them;_ the thought of her and Catra.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ^^ A lil Adora Sketch I drew for y'all :)  
> Just a little side note; E.U. stands for Etheria University. The school they go to. :)
> 
> So...how was it so far? :)


End file.
